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J. W. ROBERTS.

PIPE COUPLING FOR- RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3. I918. -1,32%,27'0.

JOHN W. nonnnrs, or SARNIA, ONTARIO, cannnn.

PIPE-COUPLING FOE RAI WAY ROLLING-STOCK.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

'Applicat on filed December 3, 1918. Serial No. 265,110.

' To all whom it mag concern:

' porting frame and once indicate corresponding Be it known that 1, JOHN W. Ronnnrs, of the city of Sarnia, in the county of Lambton, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Couplings for Railway Rolling-Stock,

of which the following is a-specification.

This invention relates to means for autosteam pipes of railway rolling stock such as shown and described in my prior. United States Patent No. 1,121,763 of December 22nd, 191 i, and my object is to improve my prior construction in certain details.

It has been found'in practice desirable to provide means for better holding the forward ends of the coupling members against relative vertical or lateral displacement without interfering in any way with their independent longitudinal movement; to provide improved means for holding the supporting frames for the coupling members of two coeperating couplings in exact alinement; and to provide improved means for guiding the coupling members on their supfor limiting their extension.

I attain my object by means of the constructionshereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings 1n which J Figure l isla side elevation showing two couplings in their coupled position;

Fig. 2a front elevation of a couphng;

Fig. 3 asection through one of the couplings on the line aa in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 a perspective detail of parts of the divided head showing their'interengaging ribs. t

In the drawings like numerals of refer- .parts in the different figures. 1

"1 is a frame provided with top and bottom members 2 and 13. 111 the rear end of this frame is journaled the vertical bar 4 provided with horizontally extending trunnions 5. By means of these trunnions the device will be suspended, though such connections form no part of the present invention and are neither sliown nor described.

The forward ends of the top and bottom members 2 and 3 are held together by means of the bail 22, the ends of which are connected with trunnions 23 formed on the bottom member 3. The ball is prcferablyfdividedat its upperend, and the ends connected by a bolt 24:. The top member is provided with ribs 25 between which the upper end of the bail 22 is fitted.

The frame supports the coupling members 6. These are usually three in number and are superimposed on one another so that each may slide longitudinally of the frame independent of the others. It is necessary that each coupling member should be yieldingly extended sothat it may be maintained by spring pressure in contact with a corresponding coupling member of an opposed coupling. For this purpose I provide the springs 7 each of which engages the rear end of the frame and a boss 8 on the corresponding coupling member.

It is necessary to limit the degree of extension of the coupling as a whole and also to limit the amount of independent movement of each coupling member. It will be ioted that the rear ends of the coupling members areprovided with bosses 9 adapted to slide on one another and to properly space the coupling members. The outer coupling members are also provided with the projections 10 which enter slots 11 in the top and bottom members 2 and 3 of the frame. These projections by contacting with the forward ends of the slots limit the extension of the outer coupling members. The extension of the intermediate member is limited by a yoke 12 secured to the frame and embracing one of the bosses 9 of the in termediate coupling member.

To maintain the coupling members in alinement, I prefer to form in certain of the bosses 9 a longitudinal groove 13 which may engage a rib 14 formed on the adjacent boss. Only one of these ribs and grooves is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, but it will be understood they are preferably employed between each pair of contacting bosses.

Farther forward the upper and lower couplin members are provided with ribs 26 which t between lugs 27 formed on the top and bottom members of the frame so as to serveas guides for the longitudinal ribs 26.

The upper and lower coupling members are thus restricted to fore and aft sliding movement longitudinally of the frame, while the intermediate coupling member, owing to the constructions hereinafter described, is held at its forward end from shifting laterally relative to the outer coupling member.

As in the prior patent hereinbefore referred to, the outer ends of the coupling members are shaped to form a head divided horizontally and around the bore of each coupling member where it opens through the head is fitted a washer or gasket 15 having a flat outer face which engages with the flat outer face of the gasket of the opposed coupling member.

To guide the opposing coupling members into proper engagement, I provide each member with the outwardly curved guards 16, one being connected to one side of one of the outer parts of the head and the other to the other side of. the other outer part of the head.

To interlock the parts 17 of the head against relative vertical displacement, .l. extend up the inner end of each guard to overlap the side of the intermediate part of the head and provide the inner end of the guard with a rib 18. A groove 19 is formed in the side of the head so as to form a shoulder engaging with the under side of the rib 18. Thus each outer part 17 of the head is locked to the intermediate portion of the head to resist vertical displacement. Preferably alsothe ribs engage the bottoms of the grooves 19 to hold the parts of the head against horizontal displacement. The ribs 18 are preferably made sufficiently long and the grooves 19 sufficiently wide for engagement with the grooves and ribs of a similar head of an opposed coupling. This interlocking serves to maintain proper alinement of the opposed coupling members.

I have also found it desirable to provide means for rigidly maintaining the alinement of the opposed coupling frames. I therefore provide the lower member 3 of the frame with a projecting tongue 20 and parallel therewith a socket member 21, which socket member is preferably open on its under sideand is adapted to recelve the tongue 20 of the opposed cooperating coupling. 7

From the above description it will be seen that when the two coupling heads are interlooked as shown in Fig.1, it is impossible for the coupling frames to get out of alinement relative to the vertical plane passing through-them. The coupling heads also will be held in perfect alinement and yet the independent longitudinal movement of each individual coupling member has in no wise been interfered with.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In an automatic pipe coupling for railway rolling stock the combination of a n rrame; a plurality of superimposed coupling members supported to move longitudinally of said frame either unitedly or independently; springs tending to extend said members; means'for limiting the extension of said members as a whole, the forward ends of the coupling members being shaped to form a head, divided horizontally and adaptedto interlock with the similar head of an opposed coupling; and co-acting longitudinal rib-and-groove connections between the parts of said head at each side preventing the relative displacement of the coupling members except in a longitudinal direction.

2. In an automatic pipe coupling for railway rolling stock, the combination of a framea )luralit. of en erim osedcou lin members supported to move longitudinally of said frame either unitedly 0r independently; springs tending to extend said members; means for limiting the extension of said members as a whole, the forward ends of the coupling members being shaped to form a head divided longitudinally and adapted to interlock with the similar head of an opposed coupling; and partson said divided" head at each side overlapping and interlocking-to prevent vertical displacement of the coupling members. H

3. In an automatic pipe coupling for railway rolling stock, the combination of a frame; three superimposed coupling members supported to move longitudinally of aid frame either unitedly or independently; springs tending; to extend said members; means for limiting the extension of said members as a whole, the forward ends of the coupling members. being shaped to. form a head dividedhorizontally and adapted to interlock with the similar head of an opposed coupling; and a member at one side of one outer part of the head and at the other side of the other part ofthe head overlapping the sides of the intermediate part, said members and the intermediate part of the headbeing formed with eo-acting longitudinal shoulders adapted to prevent vertical relative displacement of the coupling members.

4.. In an automat c pipe coupling for railway rolling stock, the combination 1 of a frame; three superimposed couplingmernbers supported to move longitudinally ,of said frame either unitedly or independently; springs tending to extend said members; means for limiting the extension of said members as a whole, the forward ends of the coupling members being shaped to form a read divided horizontally and adapted to interlock with thesimilar head: of an op posed coupling; a guard at one side of one outer part of the head; a guard at the other side of the other outer part of the head, the

inner ends of said guards overlapping the sides of the intermediate partof thehead; and an inwardly projecting longitudinal rib formed on each guard, theintermediate part of the head being grooved to receive said ribs.

5. In anautomatic pipe coupling forrail way rolling stock, the combmation of a frame; three superimposedcoupling members supported to move longitudinally of said frame elther un tedlyor independently; springs tending to extend said members; means for limiting the extension of said members as a whole, the forward ends of the coupling members being shaped to form a head divided horizontally and adapted to interlock with the similar head of an opposed coupling; a guard at one side of one outer part of the head a guard at the other side of the other outer part of the head, the inner ends of said guards overlapping the sides of the intermediate part of the head; and an inwardly projecting longitudinal .rib formed on each guard, the intermediate part of the head being grooved to receive said ribs, said ribs being long enough and said grooves wide enough for engagement with the grooves and ribs ofasimilar head of an opposed coupling;

6. In an automatic pipe coupling for railway rolling stock, the combination of a frame having longitudinally slotted top and bottom members; a plurality of superimposed coupling members supported thereon and independently slidable relative to one another; a boss on each outer member slidable in the slots of the frame; a longitudinal rib on each outer member forward of the boss; and lugs on the top and bottom membeors of the frame forming guides for the r1 s.

7. In an automatic pipe coupling for railway rolling stock comprising a frame and coupling members carried thereby, means for maintaining the frames of two opposed cooperating couplings in alinement comprising a horizonta tongue projecting longitudinally from the forward end of the frame and a socket member parallel thereto adapted to receive the tongue of the frame of an opposed coupling.

Signed at Sarnia, Ontaria, Canada, this 22nd day of November, 1918.

JOHN W. ROBERTS. Witnesses: I

DANIEL BEESON, JOHN STOKES. 

